With several fans in the area zeroed in on the Class 5A district showdown between South Warren and Bowling Green, many are forgetting about the crucial Class 4A district matchup between Warren East and Franklin-Simpson.
The Raiders and Wildcats meet Friday night in Franklin in a game where more than bragging rights are on the line, as the two sides will clash to decide the winner of the Class 4A, District 2 championship — and who will receive home field advantage through at least the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Warren East (5-3 overall, 2-0 Class 4A District 2) is led by senior wide out Caleb Huskey. Huskey has caught 25 passes for 677 yards and eight touchdowns so far this season, and is currently ranked sixth in Class 4A in receiving yards.
The two-headed monster of junior Thomas Maxey and senior Trevor Naftel will also be a challenge for the Franklin-Simpson defense to contain, as the pair has rushed for nine combined touchdowns and 684 and 718 yards, respectively.
Impact players to watch on the defensive side of the ball for the Raiders are seniors Isaiah Boards and Gregory Barnes. Both have been a menace for opposing offenses, as Boards has a whopping 95 tackles (77 solo) on the season while Barnes has racked up six interceptions, four in last week’s win over Allen County-Scottsville.
Franklin-Simpson (5-3, 2-0) will look to record its ninth victory in 10 meetings with the Raiders with its powerful run-first offense. The defending state runner-ups are led by juniors Carlos McKinney and Tre Bass, as the duo has rushed for 697 and 804 yards, respectively. Senior Saul Brady has also tallied 493 yards on the season for the Wildcats.
On defense Franklin-Simpson will look to linebacker Cade Harvey for big plays. The senior has recorded 80 tackles on the season thus far.
Kickoff between the Raiders and Wildcats is slated for 7 p.m. at Franklin-Simpson High School. Follow us on Twitter for live updates, or tune in at 6:50 p.m. for audio coverage with Ben Browning at STBNTV.com.
- WHO: Franklin-Simpson vs. Warren East
- WHERE: Franklin Simpson High School
- WHEN: 7:00 p.m.
- COACHES: Franklin-Simpson – Doug Preston, Warren East – Jeff Griffith
- AUDIO BROADCAST: Ben Browning, STBNTV.com, Pregame 6:50 p.m.
